Stone cill repair

[John Davies]

Hi,

I live in an 18 year old house that has a 1st floor re-constituted stone cill that has been damaged in the past. It is now cracked almost along it's entire length; the width of the crack looks about 8mm. It appears to have been stood on when the conservatory was built which caused the damage to start.

I have tried to get a quote to get it replaced but access is restricted as there is a conservatory in front of it. So far I haven't been able to get anyone to do the replacement.

So it looks as though I've going to have to try and repair crack with some sort of epoxy to stop the damage going any further. I envisage drilling into the cill (gently!), on the top and front and somehow clamping the cill together to minimise the gap after the epoxy is inserted.

My question is:

What is the best material to use for the repair and;

Will this type of material drill easily without fracturing and causing more problems?

Has anyone experience of this type of repair or even know of a builder local to south Staffordshire who might be experienced enough to handle this?

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[KenGMac]

John Davies, good evening.

What has "probably happened" is that the embedded steel reinforcing bar has rusted, in doing so has expanded, it is the rust that is causing the increased cracking?

Bad news is because of the rusting, the cracking will increase.

insertion of Epoxy resin will not stop the rusting, I would try it but I would not attempt to clamp the sill, that could induce further [possibly] getting on for catastrophic failure??

Ken.

 

[John Davies]

Thanks for the reply Ken,
It looks as though replacement is the best option to take

 

[John Davies]

Ok. I’ve tried to get the cill replaced but am having no luck finding someone to do the job. So I think Im going to have effect a temporary repair to stop the cill completely breaking off over the winter.
Can anyone advise me of the best material (epoxy) to use on this type of repair? I envisage filling the gaps to stop any further separation and then perhaps applying a lead covering to stabilise everything for the winter. The cill is behind the conservatory roof and can’t be seen from the garden.
I have checked the cill and Ken’s right; it won’t take any movement. So to try and clean it as best I can I’m going to have to use something similar to surgical alcohol poured into the crack and then use epoxy to hold it together. Drilling and pinning is out of the question.
Interesting times!

 

[noseall]

I'd have thought a car body filler would offer the best solution. I would carefully spay some WD40 deep into the crack fist. Pump some polymer silicon deep down then fill the rest with filler.

 

[John Davies]

Thanks Noseall,
Can I ask why the wd40? Is it to stop damp?
Thanks John

 

[noseall]

Can I ask why the wd40? Is it to stop damp?

Prolly a waste of time but it might dispel any moisture that may be lurking there.

 

[John Davies]

Ok - makes sense!